Starting Chemo Aug 09

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    Gill/Weety/Lilah/Donna - Thanks - the color is a dark gray, I think they call it metal gray.  This is my 3rd new car in the last 25 years.  My first car I drove until my oldest was a senior in high school, then she got the car and I purchased a new one.  Now my youngest is heading to college and will take my old car and I get a new car.  This is the first new car I've ever LOVED, which I guess is a good thing because I'm not one to trade in cars every few years I keep them for a very, very long time.

    I don't know why, but I have been on a junk food binge for the last week.  I feel terrible after eating something so terrible, but I keep going back.  I'm not stressed or upset, which are usually triggers.  So....I'm saying it to y'all in hopes that by putting it in writing I will take control of my cravings.

    Donna - congrats on the continued weight loss - what are you doing?

    Lilah - We finally got around to seeing Salt, but standing there in line I realized how many more movies I want to see. 

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    LOL Jenn -- yeah there are a LOT of fun movies out there!  SALT was fun.  I wish I looked like Angelina Jolie (sadly I do not - not even close) -- lol.

    Your new car sounds gorgeous!  I would like a new car but can't bring myself to do it yet - my very reliable, excellent Honda Civic gets 31 mpg (on average) and only has 85,000 miles.  My dream car of the moment: a mini cooper. 

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    Lilah - Honda's are great cars, my first new car was a Honda Civic, which I loved for 110,000 miles until my oldest got it.  Then she drove it for about a year and traded it in for another Honda Civic, which she has now had for 8 years.  I'm like you "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".  If my car runs, no need for a new one.  Even my appliances, I don't get a new one until the old one breaks.  But....I dream and at times go to the store thinking I'll buy it, but I can't.  I just hate to spend money on something that isn't necessary - except purses and shoes.

    Tomorrow I will be heading to Pensacola to visit with a friend I haven't seen in about a year.  I saw her right before I started chemo.  My daughter is looking forward to tanning and swimming in her pool - I'm looking forward to catching up and some down time.  Maybe we'll catch a movie while we're there.   Tonight is the first Saints preseason game against the Patriots - exciting....football season is starting.  Yeah!!!!

    Hope everyone is doing well.

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    Jenn -- I am the same way with cars and appliances!

    Oh and I was thinking about you today and the junk food.  I think you are anxious about your youngest going off to college (all subconscious) and that is why you are craving the comfort of junk food.  (OK that's my 5 cents please analysis :)

    Have fun at the pool!  Sounds like heaven.

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  • msmpatty
    msmpatty Member Posts: 818
    edited August 2010

    Jenn - Congrats on the car!   A friend of mine just got a Camry in the same color...really classy.  I "inherited" my washer and dryer when I bought this house 13 years ago.  They were kind of old when I got them and so ugly...grey, if you can imagine.  I keep hoping they'll stop working so I can get spiffy new ones but no such luck.  They just keep chugging along.   Funny you should mention your junk food binge.   For some reason, I've been voraciously hungry this week.  I haven't resorted to junk food yet, but before meals I'm just famished.  What's up with that?

    Donna - Sorry for the junk food talk.  Good job on the diet.  Slow and steady wins the race!  Speaking of which..excellent name for your Susan G. Koman team.

    Lilah - You'll be happy (maybe) to learn that I've been going wigless for about two weeks.  I decided WTF and just went for it.  Nobody has run screaming at the sight of me...although some people I see frequently (Starbucks barristas and the like) have done a bit of a double take.  And this morning I actually think my hair hit a milestone.   I woke up and it was lying down!  Not sticking up every which way.  There IS hope!

    Gilly - I hope everything is good up there in Idaho.

    Patty

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2010

    Hi to all - everything is fine here. Nothing much going on to write about! The most exciting thing is a new laminate floor in my preschool and now we're going to paint the walls. Got a couple of weeks or so before school starts so it's time to get these jobs done.

    I've just been out to dinner with a close friend who is also one of my teachers and 2 others who used to be teachers at my school. Lots of fun and catching up. Oh yes - I'm still doing well with walking, 2-3 miles 4 or 5 days a week. So pleased with myself.

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    Patty -- WTG on the wigless!!!!  I think that we all reach that point eventually and just don't care anymore lol.  The double takes will stop :)  Glad to hear it is laying flat finally!  I got another hair cut last week -- told the stylist: please no more buzz cuts!  She did a nice trim and it is finally starting to look like a style.

    Gilly -- I so admire you for doing all that walking!  I know I should but I just can't motivate myself.

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2010

    Patty - I missed that bit about going wigless. Well done. It's a wonderful feeling!!!

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  • buccaneersdj
    buccaneersdj Member Posts: 241
    edited August 2010

    136.0 today....getting on that treadmill starting Monday! {{{HUGS}}} Donna

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2010

    Yeah for you Donna!!!

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    Lilah - you're probably right about my food binge.  I didn't outwardly feel stressed until this weekend.....it's probably been building.  I have to say I am actually sick of junk food, not that I haven't had any this weekend, but I'm also reaching for the fresh fruit and salads again.  Thank goodness. 

    Patty - Congrats on going wigless!!!  I'm laughing at your washer/dryer story.  Right before DH and I met I bought new a new washer and dryer, needless to say when we married it was fairly new.  But.....my dryer was an electric dryer, the hookups in the house were gas so we inherted and old ugly dryer.  I was so glad when it broke - I thought whoo hoo I get a new dryer.  Guess what...didn't happen.  My Mom had moved and ended up with an extra dryer and how could I spend money on a new dryer when I could get one for free.  I'm still using the old dryer!

    Donna - Congrats on the weight loss!!!!  Are you exercising and watching what you eat?

    Gill - congrats on the continued walking.  I love redoing rooms, walls, floors, etc - it just freshens up the area. 

    I had a nice time in Pensacola - it was somewhat overcast, but the pool is enclosed so my daughter was still able to swim.

    Hope everyone had a great weekend.

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  • msmpatty
    msmpatty Member Posts: 818
    edited August 2010

    If only my washer and dryer would break...everything else did in the past week.   Part of my back yard fence toppled over.   A water leak made itself evident in the laundry room utility closet.  My son's laptop got totally trashed by a virus.  Estimates from fence guy, landscape guy (to clear fence line), plumber, water clean up company, Geek squad (for computer) are adding up...cha ching.  And I'll have nothing to show for it.  But at least I don't have cancer.  So I'm a happy (but poorer) girl.

    Patty

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    Patty - sounds like you are not having a good week or month.  I am so sorry for the fried computer, toppled fence and water leak - what a mess.  

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    Patty -- aw what a sucky week!  But I love your attitude :)

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    I am home cooking one of my daughter's favorite meals before she leaves for college and the airconditioner quit blowing cold air.  Ugh!  I've called the repairman we normally use - he promised to come out this afternoon.  So....in the meantime I've closed all the curtains, turned out the lights and am sitting in a dark house trying to keep it as cool as possible.  It's 100+ degrees outside! 

    Okay..........I finished complaining for the moment.

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    Awww Jenn that sucks!  Here's hoping you can get it fixed SOON!!!

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  • msmpatty
    msmpatty Member Posts: 818
    edited August 2010

    Jenn - Sorry to welcome you to my world of house problems this week.  What a mess for you.  Stay cool!

    Patty

    Patty

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    Lucky for me - the repairman came early and it cost under $200 to fix - something about a short in the wire that shorted out something or another.  As long as its fixed.

    Patty - how are you coming with everything?

    Lilah - are you back to school yet?  I saw Eat, Pray, Love yesterday - I loved it, but having just finished the book I felt like I understood some unsaid things in the movie.  My daughter, well she was bored. 

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    LOL re: your daughter being bored -- I think it is definitely a move for the 35 and over set.  I haven't seen it yet but did love the book too.

    Woo hoo on the easy and quick fix for the AC!

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    Oh and I don't start back up till September 1 -- so still enjoying a few more weeks of summer vaycay :)

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2010

     Patty and Jenn - not fun stuff!! We have only had our AC on once so farSmile. But we've been having great weather. The zucchini is starting to become overpowering and the tomatoes are starting to ripen. Yum!

    I've had a very busy few days. We got a new floor in at my preschool and then with friend/co-teacher we decided to piant our main classroom. Each of my boys helped on one day and we got through almost 5 gallons of paint. I was exhausted. But I noticed I didn't have time to think about cancer - yeah. There is SO much work to do putting the room to rights, but it will look great when it's done.

    We're doing a Family Music Night next week to launch our new Musikgarten programs so I'm madly practising the new songs in preparation. But Musikgarten is wonderful for little kids.

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    Gill - the music program sounds wonderful.  I think all children should have music in their lives, either by playing an instrument or singing.  I can't wait to hear more about it.  When we have those days in which cancer doesn't come to mind it feels good.

    Lilah - So glad to hear you have a little more summer left.  Are you trying to squeeze in as much fun as possible?

    We leave tomorrow to bring my youngest to college.  I am a mix of emotions and know that I'll miss her so very much.  But.........it's time for her to go, learn to live on her own and make choices without me, wake up on her own, do her own laundry, etc.  She'll be fine and I know that we'll talk often either by phone, text, email or Skype.  Ahhhh....the joys of technology.  I'll also be sending her mail - I think it's still fun to get surprises by mail.

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  • buccaneersdj
    buccaneersdj Member Posts: 241
    edited August 2010

    234.6 today....that means I have lost over 20 pounds, ya, because at the beginning of this diet my DH and I made a deal to have a cheat night after we lose 20 pounds. Mexican...here I come, I can hardly wait till this weekend to eat our favorite not healthy kind of food "Mexican"! Oh yea my DH has 3 more pounds to lose to meet the 20 pound goal, he better lose it before the weekend! This is the first time I have ever lost weight faster than him! {{{HUGS}}} Donna

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  • buccaneersdj
    buccaneersdj Member Posts: 241
    edited August 2010

    Jenn- I Skype the kiddo all the time, love it. It is a major adjustment, but after awhile the new found freedom is incredible! {{{HUGS}}} Donna

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited August 2010

    Wow Donna--20 pounds!!!!  What a trooper you are!

    Gilly, I love the term "musikgarten."  I teach kindergarten (I think I've mentioned that before) and I am always looking for ways to get music into the classroom.  There is such a big push for academics here in California, even in Kindergarten, that many teachers have turned their k classrooms into mini-first grade classrooms (so sad) They skip recess, take out the blocks and playhouse and "choice time/playtime" and sit them at desks with first grade worksheets to do and spelling tests.  They think this will help them get the results that the standards dictate.  I, on the other hand, have kept all the developmental stuff in, but have worked really hard at trying to find a balance of work and play, and use lots of games (like math games) to teach the concepts.  I hate worksheets and love the philosophies of Piaget and other constructivists--children have to construct their own learning--it can't be shoved down their throats!  Anyways, I'm probably "preaching to the choir", but my point is that I get the same results as the teachers who have cut all the fun stuff out of their day.  I love music and have always used songs and jingles the whole day for transitions, etc.  Music is so powerful and so many kids are musical (but no one ever knows becasue they aren't given the chance!)  I played the violin all the way through college (I even had a partial music scholarship!) and always sang in the choirs at church and school.  Tell me more about the program you're starting. I'd love to know more!

    Jenn, so sorry about the air conditioning--things always breaks at the most inconvenient times.  My husband and I are actually going out shopping for a new refrig today.  It's still working, but it's really old and it seems things are starting to take longer to get cold, etc.  Also, the ice machine broke and 2 of the drawers don't slide in and out anymore, so we decided to be "proactive" and get one now before it decides to break when it's not convenient for us!

    Next week we're going on a little family vacation to Legoland (San Diego area).  It's only about 2 hours from where we live, but with an 18 month old and 2 other kids to bring along, it's plenty far!  A big part of the fun for the kids is staying in a hotel anyways!

    Take care everyone!

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    Donna -- wow I'm SO impressed!  You have tell us what you are doing diet-wise and exercise-wise -- I need to lose 20 pounds!

    Jenn -- I am doing my best to enjoy :)  But I do love teaching too so I'm looking forward to that as well.  Have trips planned this weekend and next weekend -- to the Catskills and to the Hamptons (sounds so glamorous!) -- so that will make the end of the summer special!

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  • jenn3
    jenn3 Member Posts: 3,316
    edited August 2010

    Well - I'm taking a break from packing, moving, emotional break downs (daughter) and cooking.  My daughter is visiting with her grandma one last time (even though we just saw her last night) and she has spent virtually every other day with her this summer.  They're close - I get it.  They may end up Skyping more than me and my "baby". 

    Weety - I'm glad to hear that you've kept constructive/playtime learning in the classroom.  I'm not a teacher, but do love children and volunteer with children for various activities.  And.....babysit a lot of the children in the family.  I do think that children learn with music and playtime activities.  I'm sure we all remember Schoolhouse Rock.......Conjunction junction what's your function....I'm just a Bill.........It was so much fun, but put it to music and you remember something.  I know when I worked with my girls, if we made study time fun and playful, they aced their test everytime and we had fun.  The capitals were a really fun.......Frank Farts in Kentucky (Frankfurt/Kentucy).

    Lilah - have a great trip, it does sound fantastic!

    Donna - Fantastic!!! I'm so happy for your weight loss.  Whoo Hoo!!!!!!! Keep it up.

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2010

    Donna - we are so proud of you!!!!

    Jenn - you'll be a sort of empty nester. I don't think it really counts until they stop coming home from college. But I'm sure you'll find it very different.

    Lilah - the Hamptons! Very swish. Makes me think of Ina Garten (the barefoot contessa). I love her and how she and Jeffrey have been together for forty years.

    Weety - that is impressive, continuing to be developmentally appropriate. That is hard to do with all the pressure. We are definitely DAP oriented and that is not always what parents want to hear. They are shocked when I say we don't do letter of the day or number of the week etc and don't do coloring pages, or art activities where the kids don't really do anything creative. Nobody's art work looks like anyone else's! And we only a preschool and parents are always pushing their children. I have lost business because we are not an academic program (even though children do lots of wonderful math and literacy activities) but I am not compromising my principles to gain a client. We do what we know is right. (Time to get off my high horse). I would love to visit your classroom. Check out our website for info about the Musikgarten classes we will be offering in September - it'll give you an idea of the the philosophy behind the classes.

    Now for a strange question: how many threads do you have in your favorites?

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  • Lilah
    Lilah Member Posts: 4,898
    edited August 2010

    LOL Gilly -- well I must admit I'm visiting family.  It's SO not my scene but I do enjoy visiting :)

    I just went and counted -- I have 20 favorite topics -- about half of which have posts every day (the rest are variable -- some not for a few months and I should probably remove them).

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  • gillyone
    gillyone Member Posts: 1,727
    edited August 2010

    I have 6 in my favs. Some others have come and gone. My rads month group stopped posting when we were all done with rads which is understandable. Rads is such a short tx compared to chemo, there isn't time to form about bonds with the group. I meet up with Jenn on TN and stage III threads and we have both posted on the "you know you're a cancer patient when..." thread. If you haven't checked it out, you should. Very enjoyable.

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